Cycling: Kazakhstan wants to host Tour

President Kazakh Cycling Kairat Kelimbetov said his country wants to host the start of race like England did this year

PARIS:

After Kazakhstan won the Tour de France, the Central Asian state now wants to host the Tour, said a top official on Monday.

Rejoicing after Vincenzo Nibali of the government-backed Astana team clinched victory on Sunday, President Kazakh Cycling Kairat Kelimbetov said his country wants to host the start of the race like England did this year. The northern English county of Yorkshire staged the first three days of this year’s Tour de France bringing millions onto the streets to watch.

“It’s like a joke now, but this Yorkshire experience is very interesting for us,” said Kelimbetov. “The idea is to one day bring it to Kazakhstan. I think we could deliver it also.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2014.

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